


Stay with me...

by DevilsCabaret



Series: We belong together... [1]
Category: Actor RPF, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, Gay Love, M/M, Robert Downey Jr - Freeform, Rome - Freeform, The bed will break down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-18
Updated: 2012-09-10
Packaged: 2017-10-31 09:48:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/342646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DevilsCabaret/pseuds/DevilsCabaret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rome. A magical and dangerous city where every certainty is destroyed by that atmosphere that can cloud the senses and lead us to make choices that could change our whole life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ...for friendship

_**...for friendship.** _

_Sometimes you have to look at people differently in order to understand details invisible from a single perspective._

"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's Amoreee!"

"That's Amoreee!" Robert Downey Jr.'s voice joined Chris Evans', drawing upon himself the gaze of all his colleagues.

"Well...? He's half Italiano!" Said Robert with a smile. Laughter expanded at the counter at which many of the party guests were sitting.

Jeremy Renner turned to Downey with a snap, pointing a finger at his face.

"...You...have wonderful eyes..."

Robert quirked his mouth in an amused smile and pointed his hand toward a woman sitting behind his interlocutor.

"Ah..." Jeremy said, turning on his stool, finger now directed at the blonde behind him. He opened his mouth, about to say something, then stopped, turning back towards his friend.

"You too have wonderful eyes...But... keep it for later."

The two men winked flirtatiously, exchanging cheerful smiles before returning to their conversation. Chris' voice continued to resound throughout the hall while many were chatting and drinking in good company. On the opposite side of the bar, at a table covered with white tablecloths, were Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson, the two of them talking animatedly while sipping their drinks. Close to them, Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Hiddleston were discussing how embarrassing Evans was. Said man however, heedless of all the glances of disbelief he was receiving, kept singing loudly while standing on a table.

Suddenly, Tom's attention was drawn by the imposing figure of Chris Hemsworth, who collapsed on a chair, dropping his head between his hands. Worried about his friend, Hiddles politely dismissed Samuel and walked towards the table.

"Hey ..." Tom said, eyeing Chris with concern. The blonde man let out a groan, without lifting his head, recognizing his friend's voice.

"Want to go get some fresh air?" Tom asked, realizing immediately the Australian's condition.

"Mhmh ..." Chris rubbed his eyes, nodding, and stood up with difficulty, scraping the chair loudly against the floor. The Englishman caught him under one arm and led him slowly to the door at the back of the room. They exited onto the sidewalk and moved next to a streetlight where Tom let go of his colleague, making him rest on the pole to avoid supporting all of his weight.

"You overdid it again?"

"No!" The voice of the blonde came out like the wail of a child who had been accused of stealing candies. The brunette cleared his throat looking at his friend pointedly, unconvinced of his words.

"Robert made me drink a thing called -Sbagliato-, tremendous... I also ate little and then that asshole started singing like a madman, standing on the table!"

"Oh, yeah ok, I got it... I'll take you back to the hotel..."

"I'm going to smash it on his face that damn tabl-... huh? Oh... ok."

Tom couldn't help laughing, while trying to slip out from below Chris' arm. He turned back toward the door, leaving Chris leaning against the pole. The Australian wavered slightly at the sudden lack of support, clinging to the lamppost.

"I'm going to tell someone... you... try not to fall in the meantime."

The blond replied with a grunt that was probably intended to be of assent. The Englishman opened the door slightly and glanced in, raising his arm to attract attention. Robert was the first one to see his friend's agitated hand in midair and, taking leave for a few moments, he went straight to the exit.

"Hey, what happened?"

Tom stepped back to make room for the man, who stopped on the doorway blocking the door with his foot. "We are going," he answered gently, displaying an elegant smile.

"Already? We were about to plan an attack on Evans to pull him off the table! You can't just leave..." Downey Jr. moved his head to one side so he could see over Tom's shoulders and the words died away on his lips at the sight that met his eyes.

Chris Hemsworth was warmly wrapped around a lamppost, gently stroking the metal pole, blabbing nonsense and staring off into space. "...I could never smash a table on your face, Chris. It's not true that you're an asshole..."

Tom sighed loudly, raising his eyebrows and assuming a displeased yet tender expression. Robert stood there a little puzzled, clicking his tongue against his palate. "Ok, go in peace. I'm going to tell Scark and Marlett... wait...who?" The man shook his head energetically realizing that he had told a series of meaningless names. "Oh well... I'll see you tomorrow!" He stated lastly, bringing the drink he was holding above his head. "Goodnight Blondie!" He added, raising his voice to be heard and gesturing with his glass in a toast. As answer from the man attached to the lamppost he just received a moan similar to the purring of a huge cat. "Good night, Tom." Robert finally concluded with a nod, greeting the Englishman and taking a step back toward the interior of the hall.

"Night..." replied the black-haired man, turning around and heading back to his friend, who was now glued to the pole with his face. Downey Jr. stood at the door until the last moment watching as Tom Hiddleston caringly leaned against Chris Hemsworth, wrapping an arm around his strong body, attempting to lift him as best he could. A flash seemed to gleam in his brown eyes at the sight of that touching display of friendship and a slight smile lit up his face. He turned, letting the door closing behind him.

"CHRIIIIS!" Robert's screams reached Tom's ears even from that distance, making him stop for a moment.  
"CLIMB DOWN FROM THAT TABLE! WE'RE OPENING THE BETTING!"

The Englishman shook his head with a smile, without worrying too much about not understanding the meaning of those words, and walked toward the car, parked a few feet away from them. The driver got out quickly from the vehicle, opening the back door, while Chris still muttered gibberish near the face of his friend.

"G-Grazie..." The englishman said to the driver, in the most correct form of Italian he could manage, while trying to slide his colleague in the car without both of them falling to the ground. The Australian glanced doubtfully at the driver and then turned his head toward the black-haired man, opening his mouth with the intention to ask Tom a question but, as soon as his eyes rested upon his face, a smile painted his face.

"Hello, Tom!" Chris said with that huge smile.

The englishman frowned exchanging a look with the driver who, bewildered and without uttering a word, straightened in the driving seat.

"You have great hair tonight!"

Tom could not refrain from laughing, trying to make room for himself in the taxi by placing Chris' body in a better position, then he slipped in the car, snorting with fatigue.

"Thanks, you're handsome too tonight." He laughed, amused by the unusual condition in which Chris had shrunk. He had already seen him drunk, but never to the point of saying things totally unrelated one to the other.

"Piazza Barberini with Hotel Bernini Bristol. Please." Tom said to the driver, surprised once again at how hard it was to utter even just two words in Italian. The car started quickly, getting onto the almost deserted street.

"I mean... I like your curly blonde hair...a lot! But with black hair, so disheveled from the gel, you look great!" Chris spoke making random gestures, his voice slurring as if he was losing control of his tongue. Tom could not stop smiling, starting to feel particularly embarrassed, while his eyes stared compassionately at his friend who was barely able to keep his eyes open. Suddenly, the upper body of the Australian seemed to have a breakdown and his head slowly came to rest on the shoulder of the black-haired one who, with a stifled cry, muffled the blow. Chris' body seemed almost boneless, the words coming out of his mouth were getting lower and incomprehensible.

"...and then... the dark hair... make your eyes...look... wond..der...ful..." His head slipped suddenly, drifting down Tom's arm, landing abruptly where the belly become something else. The Englishman leaned forward slightly and let out a moan that was far from being human, followed by a series of acute wheezing that made the driver turn around.

"State bene? Tutto okay?"

The black-haired man quickly tried to regain the ability to talk with a deep breath. He had understood almost nothing of what the driver had said, except maybe an -okay?- so he tried to give the most obvious answer to reassure him.

"...yes...hem...si..."

The travel went on smoothly while Tom tried to move the head of his friend away from his thigh. When he succeeded, a sigh of relief came out of his mouth and he leaned back against the seat, looking down. The blond was asleep. Tom had no idea how Chris had managed to do that in such conditions, but he had fallen asleep. His head was heavy on Tom's leg, which was beginning to stiffen, but it wasn't of much importance. Their lodging was about twenty minutes far from where the party took place. He could endure that long. He looked at Chris' face for a few seconds, unable to resist the urge to smile.  
He looked like a puppy.  
A 6 feet drunken puppy.  
But still a puppy.  
Tom would have woken him up once they had reached the hotel.


	2. ...for necessity

**...for necessity**

_Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away._

"I've slept like a baby!" With a thud, Chris opened opened the door vigorously. Then, still stretching, he threw his phone on the bedside table, making his way to the window to open it, before heading straight out to the balcony.

"Don't tell me you have already recovered from the hangover!" Tom came in right behind him, shutting the door and following him onto the veranda.

"Sure, I have faced worse!" The two men passed the canvas chairs and leaned with their elbows on the sill of stone, stopping for a moment to feel the spring air that was blowing that night.

"Thank you for taking me back" said the Australian with a kind smile, turning to his friend and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No problem..." The brunette nodded slightly and smiled back.

"I owe you a favor and be sure th-..." Chris was interrupted as suddenly by a violent blast of wind that banged the balcony door and the padlock closed with a metallic clatter. The two men turned around with a snap, realizing what had happened, a bewildered expression painted on their faces.

"Shit!" With all his infinite sweetness, Chris threw himself against the window, trying unsuccessfully to crack it open. Tom reached him shortly after, slightly worried, one hand pressed to his forehead.

"I think they only open from the inside..." Tom said, trying to keep his voice calm despite being a bit nervous, though the situation filled him with a vague amusement.

"Damn!" The blond fumbled with the lock a few more seconds, then gave it one last blow and went to collapse in one of the chairs, huffing.

The Englishman knelt and watched the window for a while, until his attention was drawn by Chris' legs that stretched along the footrests while the man began to laugh softly. Tom got up and went to sit on the edge of the other chair, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"I left the phone in my room..." He said, trying to appear upset even though for some reason, unknown to him, he was not very bothered by this situation.

"Mine is on the table..." the Australian replied, shifting his gaze to his friend and noticing that they were both laughing. Only then did he realize that his reaction had been excessive and that he actually wasn’t so annoyed by that unfortunate incident.

"It's two o'clock, I don't think that anyone is already back besides us." Tom stated, stretching himself on the deck and folding his arms across his chest.

"Yep. I think you're right." The two had inadvertently started laughing louder without stopping to look at each other. The Englishman sniffed, a sweet and comical expression painted on his face.

"We'll be frozen before the morning comes" Tom said, still smiling warmly.

Chris stopped abruptly, raised an eyebrow and turned his torso, leaning on the opposite side of the chair. The brunette, surprised, tried to crane his neck to see over the massive shoulders of his friend who, with a snap, turned toward him, holding in his hand an half filled bottle that had a white label with the inscription -Frascati- 'Vini d'Italia'.

"Well..." The Blonde said grinning. They stared at each other for a long moment then they both started laughing like kids on a school trip. "Seems like I've got a way to warm us up!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short note: we are italian so our english isn't always good. Please forgive us for grammar mistakes!  
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	3. ...for affection

_ **...for affection** _

_ **  
** _ _We are desperate and lost, forced into a world that impose, only out of fear, that our kind of love must be hidden in a friendship..._

 

"...She hates it when I drink!" Chris took another sip of wine, then handed the bottle to his buddy. 

"Yes, mine too!" Tom laughed again, shaking his head slightly and bringing the flask to his mouth. He stopped almost immediately fixing his gaze on the white sticker. "Why do you have wine on the balcony?" 

They had been out there for almost an hour when Tom realized that he hadn't even asked why, on Chris's balcony, there was a bottle of excellent Italian wine. 

"It's a present the concierge gave me this afternoon. I have no idea why he did that!" The Australian said, squinting his eyes firmly and lifting his head to the sky. "I opened it before going to the party."  


Tom assented with a nod and, placing the bottle on the ground, he raised his eyes toward the stars, "Well done..." 

Chris smiled and turned his face quickly, fixing his gaze on the brunette’s. Without even realizing it, he stared at him briefly, staring intently at each detail of his profile. His dark hair, in sharp contrast with the pale forehead, bright eyes of an indescribable and unique color, his nose slightly reddened by the cold...

and his mouth...

The blond blinked a few times and turned back to look at the city which was lit by yellow street lights, but his eyes wandered without being able to find something to focus on. They remained silent for several minutes, flooded by a calm feeling. Instinctively, almost without thinking, Tom shifted his gaze to the face of the blond. He had long hair, pulled behind his ears, and his beard was slightly shaggy. His eyes sparkled, more glacial than usual, and they were lucid, due to the wind...

and his mouth…

The Englishman gulped, trying, unsuccessfully, to focus his attention on any place of the splendid view of Rome. An unusual tension, apparently unjustified, seemed to arise, carried by the wind that ran through the veranda, turning that silence into something deep and intense.

"We spent two years working on -Thor-... It seems strange to have already finished another movie with you!" Tom's voice broke the silence, restoring the mood of earlier.

"It's true ..." Chris replied with a loud breath turning to the brunette and in a few moments remembering so many months of hard work.

"Thor was my... our first-Hollywood-movie …" The Englishman went on, his eyes darting unconsciously in every direction, "... I am glad …” until, finally, they found their place...  


The place they sought.  


They met Chris' eyes.

"... to have shared all this with an extraordinary person like you." 

An expression of sincere affection and joy painted on the face of the Australian. 

"... you're really the only one who understands me, mate..." 

Their mouths opened in a sweet laugh that filled the entire porch. Then, suddenly, like waves crashing on the rocks during a summer storm, the tension resurfaced violently, overwhelming them, more insistent, more powerful. Within seconds, without them realizing it, every trace of a smile slowly faded from their lips, while a thrill ran through their bodies and the two men stood, looking into each eyes, still in the thick silence that seemed reluctant to leave them.  


...his mouth ...  


A thud sounded loud and intrusive over their heads, making them jump and rapidly raise their faces. 

"What was that?" Tom asked, frowning.

"Looks like someone crashed into the window on the floor above..." Chris kept his eyes turned upward, trying to imagine what else could have caused the annoying sound. Suddenly, the brunette seemed paralyzed. His eyes got lost for a moment while his mouth widened slightly.  


"... damn ..."  


Tom got up quickly rushing toward the glass door, followed by the surprised gaze of the blonde, who raised his upper body, taking in a sitting position. He bent over the lock and with a couple of clicks, an old trick and a bit of agility, he snapped the door open. Their faces immediately lit up and the Englishman, standing up, turned to his friend showing off a satisfied look. The Australian tried to feel happy with the newly acquired freedom but, for some reason, he only managed fake a laugh, feeling terribly uncomfortable. Tom cleared his throat with a slight cough and stepped into the room glancing up at Chris, smiling at him one last time before leaving, and, instantly, he found out that he wan't so happy that he managed to open the window. But, at the same time, he felt the desperate need to escape from that room, leave the balcony quickly, get away as soon as possible... from him.  


For both their sakes.  


He felt the dizziness and confusion clouding his sight and he was pretty sure that wasn't caused by the wine he had drank. Almost frightened he quickly shook his head, breathing out with violence. "Well... best to take a shower and go to bed..." He said taking control of himself, as far as he could. 

The blond didn't answer and merely nodded, surprised at how hard and almost painful it was doing something so trivial and common. The Englishman looked one last time in the eyes of the Australian, pulling his lips in what seemed to be the most difficult smile of his whole life.  


"... goodnight." He forced himself, with all his strength, to turn around and go to the room door. 

Chris suddenly felt a shock through his spine and was immediately certain that it was not caused by the cold air that was blowing that night and the alcohol that was is his body. His eyes remained focused on the back of his colleague who was walking away from the balcony.  


He felt his own breath speeding up and the thunder of his heartbeats making his temples throb. He felt his legs tingling as if they had, in just a few seconds, built up so much adrenaline to allow him to run for hours. His body looked like a violin string, stretched from agonizing anxiety that grew stronger every moment.  


The fear of losing a moment that would never recur.  


A moment that he realized he didn't want to miss. 

Chris breathed hard, breaking that string, and in a blink of an eye the chairs were both empty.  
In just a few steps, the brunette reached the entrance and stretched his palm toward the knob, but without being able to prevent it, the knob slipped out from beneath his fingers making him losing his balance and close his eyes. Before he could make any other movement, an arm wrapped around him, holding him by the shoulder, while a hand firmly gripped his face. He gasped and his arms stiffened as soon as his fingers brushed what he instantly recognized to be Chris' chest. It took him only a split second to realize that he couldn't speak. There was only silence, the most deafening silence that exists.

It is strange how at times the simplest details are the first things that our hearts remember. 

In that moment, Tom didn't think about the pain that violent tug had caused his arm. He didn't think about how he had been about to fall down and the only thing keeping him up was the strong body of someone who held him with unexpected delicacy. He didn't think about the strange feeling that he realized he was feeling while a man, that man-, was kissing him. All that he felt was the unusual tickling against his lips caused by Chris's beard that was slightly unkempt, and the tepid warmth emanating from his body that had never been so close to his own.  
  
When they parted slowly, they found themselves looking at each other. Paralyzed, stunned, incredulous.  
  
Suddenly, the Australian opened his eyes, realizing just in that moment what he had done. He pulled away from his colleague, leaving the grip on his face but moving his arms away almost in slow motion. 

"... God... oh my... s-sorry... I... I..." Chris's voice was trembling, shocked and frightened like never before. Immediately, Tom regained his balance and started shaking his head from left to right as if it were the only thing he could do.  
  
"I-it doesn't matter..."  
  
"I'm sorry... please...I don't know what... I... don't..."  
  
Chris dropped his gaze to the floor, unwilling... unable in any way to lift it.  
"...it's nothing... really... not ..."  
  
Their words overlapped in a concert of excuses and embarrassing hesitation.  
"... I ... I ..." 

The British could no longer bear the situation and, raising his voice slightly, he spoke with all the kindness that he could find.  
"Now I better get going."  
  
The blond froze, losing his voice, and finally managed to bring back the gaze on the face of the brunette. "...o-ok..."  
He was unable to say anything else. 

He turned quickly, putting a hand to his forehead and heading back toward the window. He could no longer move, not even after having heard the door open and close again behind him. He stood tense and still troubled, pressing his fingers to his temples. His throat was closed and he could not even swallow. His face felt hot as if it had been hours under the sun while a painful and uncontrollable tingling had begun to affect his hands and eyes. An icy and brutal silence fell in the room and he sank into a chaotic whirl of thoughts. 

He had not thought about what he was doing.  
He had not thought that it was something terribly wrong.  
With sorrowful violence, the man swung against the wall next to him, and slapped hard enough to make the glass in the window tremble.  
He had not thought about what he could unleash.  
He had not thought he could destroy everything.  
He had not thought.  
That's it.

Suddenly, a hand softly touched Chris' shoulder, making him turn with a snap while his arms fell to his sides. He had been so focused on what he had done, that he hadn't even realized the sound someone's steps approaching him.

Tom. 

His face was marked by shame and fear, though it was soothing as always. They found themselves close once again, breathing nervously, unable to stop looking into each other's eyes. The blonde stood with his mouth slightly open, in a daze without being able to say a word. 

"I don't want to leave..." The brunette said, holding his lip in a nervous and tender smile.

Chris' answer was fast, as if he had already known the words he had just heard, and he knew exactly how he wanted to answer. As if he had lived this moment.  
Perhaps in his mind?  
"I do not want you to leave ..." 

They stood silently for a few seconds, not paying attention to the pleasant thrill of excitement that was rising again between their bodies. The blond man, with one snap, began to energetically shake his hand, the hand that had hit the wall.

"... painful?" Asked Tom, his head tilted slightly and his eyes still lost inside Chris's, while an amused look painted across his face. 

Chris, still waving his hand, raised his eyebrows, taking a sweet and innocent expression and spreading his lips into a funny smile. "…you have no idea..." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it it took us so long to update but we had this chapter beta'd and the girl who did this amazing work was busy (so it took her a bit of time).


	4. ...for attraction

**...for attraction. **

_If you have to do something wrong, do it with the right person._

"Are there towels out there?" From inside the shower, Chris' voice sounded muffled and a little distorted, while the stream of water poured rhythmically, producing a pleasant drum against the plastic door that separated the bathtub from the rest of the room.

"Yes, there are at least four of them here!" Tom replied, spotting the white towels hanging on a metal rod next to the tub. The man was leaning with the back of thighs against the edge of the basin, his arms crossed and his head tilted slightly backward. He tried to focus on the ceiling tiles to avoid looking at the shadow of Chris' body, visible through the opaque plastic booth. He was trying, with all the strength he had, to cling to any fleeting thought, but inevitably his mind kept returning to those few moments that occurred less than five minutes before in that same room. Every human being, when he finds himself confronted with a feeling that seems inexplicable and frightening, tries desperately to find an explanation. And so Tom did.

Why was he in that bathroom?  
Why had he opened the door but hadn't left?  
Why hadn't he left the room right after Chris broke away from him?  
Well, obviously he stayed because he didn't want Chris to think he had destroyed their relationship.  
Obviously, he came back because he didn't want to leave Chris in that state.  
Obviously, he was there, forced to study the walls of the bathroom and trying desperately to avoid staring at the silhouette of Chris' naked back just because he was worried that the blonde might have slipped since he was a little drunk.  
Obviously...  
Obviously, my ass. 

Tom immediately realized that everything he was trying to convince himself of was, unquestionably, a set of pointless and trivial excuses. He knew full well that he was avoiding the main problem; he was diverting his attention onto whatever was going through his mind just to not think about it.  
But every attempt proved to be inexorably futile.

“Tom…"

Why the hell was he thinking about the reason he had remained when, clearly, without a doubt the most absurd, crazy and unbelievable thing that had happened in that room that night was the fact that Chris had kis...

"Tom?" Chris' deep, husky voice startled him forcing him to lower his gaze. The Australian was out the shower from the chest up and was looking at him innocently, waiting for a reply. His blond hair, wet and pulled back, was dripping small droplets down his forehead and face, marking it with multiple streams of water that ran down his neck and shoulders, then softly walked along his muscles. "Do you want to freshen up? I'll leave the tap running..." 

The brunette stood motionless, his mouth slightly open, arms still crossed with his biceps gripped between the fingers strong enough to leave marks. His eyes were caught in Chris' , that seemed an unnatural blue, and were even more brilliant thanks to the water that bathed his eyelashes.

"Yes... yes, thank you…" Tom replied almost without thinking, as if his brain was temporarily disconnected. Yes, a shower, possibly cold, was what he needed. 

The blond nodded and returned behind the booth, to finish washing. Left to himself again, Tom  exhaled loudly shaking his head. He began unfastening the buttons of his blue shirt, toeing off his shoes at the same time. He kicked the shoes under the sink before tossing his shirt on the counter. He undid his belt turning once again, with a thoughtful look on his face towards the ceiling. In that moment, only one thought grew in his head: against every prediction, every certainty and every remote expectation he’d had, he’d been, for a moment, totally captivated by Chris. 

Well, several times during the interviews he was asked to describe his colleague and he promptly claimed without hesitation, that he was a strong, charming, funny and sweet man.  
There was nothing strange...  
…maybe...  
Only there, in that moment, he noticed how answering those questions made him feel.  
When he had to talk about the work on the set, about the relationship that was born.  
When he had to talk about him...  
No.  
Enough.  
It was just an impression.  
He was simply affected by what had happened and he had begun to speculate about absurd nonsense.  
Or at least, that is what he wanted to believe.

He finished undressing and grabbed a towel to cover himself, waiting to step into the shower. Chris came out of the tub shortly after, grabbing a towel with one hand then wrapped it around his waist. Immediately, Tom jumped in the shower, dropping his towel and doing everything in his power to avoid meeting the gaze of the Australian. Once safe behind the booth he drew a silent breath and relaxed his body, aided by the warmth of the steam, then tried to drop every thought. Slowly he closed his eyes and stuck his head under the pleasant hot water. 

On the other side of the partition, Chris tried to adjust the towel and tie it at his waist, but it was soon clear that it was nearly impossible, given the small size of the cloth. He placed it as best he could, holding it with one hand and wiping himself with the other. It was only when he ran his palm along his chest that he froze abruptly, staring at his fingers.  
The wedding ring.

He always removed it before washing, but for some reason, he’d completely forgotten about the ring and wasn’t sure if he had removed it while already in the shower. He turned his head towards the tub and instinctively moved his hand to knock against the plastic wall, but he suddenly froze.  
His eyes met the shadow of Tom's face, barely visible through the partition, and his hand stopped midair.  
A single, indissoluble, impetuous picture overwhelmed all of the memories in his head.  
He had kissed him. 

Quickly, Chris escaped from the thought. He lowered his arm and began to dry off, shaking his shoulders a few times to get rid of water droplets from his hair. There was no need to bother Tom for something so trivial. Something he could verify later, when the shower would be empty. He ran the towel over his head, shaking it vigorously for a few seconds, then let it fall to the ground. Soon after, he went to stand in front of the mirror above the sink and tried to rearrange his blonde hair, running his fingers through it and pulling it back as best he could. Glancing around in the mirror, he started searching for his clothes, realizing he could see nearly the entire bathroom. 

Shower included.

From the partition, left slightly open, the Australian caught sight of Tom's back and, without realizing it, he stood motionless for a few moments, watching the flow of hot water sliding down the brunette's skin from his hair to the floor of the tub.  
His mind was unable to escape a second time from the thought.  
He had really kissed him. 

Well... after all, it was not a strange thing or something serious.  
No?  
He was half drunk, with clouded emotions and feelings, he could do anything foolish.  
No?  
And then sometimes it is normal to part with a kiss, since it is a kind gesture of affection. They had known each other for so long and between them was born a particular connection... sincere, deep. That had been just a friendly way to greet him.  
No? 

The blond looked away and with one click he turned on the tap, wetting his palms and pressing them to his face.  
No?  
He leaned his hands on the edge of the sink, staring at the drops running down the white marble and after a few seconds he shut off the tap.  
No.  
That was anything but a friendly greeting.  
The realization struck Chris like a fist, violently and abruptly.  
Had kissed him because he had wanted to.  
Because he was attracted to Tom.

"AH!" A sudden scream, dry and broken, rose from inside the shower, tearing the Australian away from his thoughts. Chris turned around, startled, and rushed to the booth without thinking about it a moment longer. "Tom?!" 


	5. ...for desire

**...for desire. **

_ Do you know when you're about to touch the sun, and you know perfectly well that you will get burnt, but you don't care?  Imagine that moment...  _

"Tom!" The blond opened the partition with a slap and stopped just outside the tub, petrified. The brunette had collapsed, one side of his body against the wall and his back turned to Chris. With his free arm he was barely holding himself up and his breaths were violent and accelerated. The Australian, worried, stepped over the edge of the tub and entered the shower, surpassing the water jet and approaching the Englishman. 

"Tom!" Chris gently laid his hands on the other man's shoulders, helping him to get up again, and suddenly he realized that Tom had  started to sob quietly. Almost frightened, Chris shook his arm lightly, making him turn slowly.

"Tom  ...?" As soon as he could see the brunette's face, Chris became puzzled, seeing that the man was laughing slightly.

"You're an idiot!" Tom's voice was interrupted by spasms and small chuckles. The Australian paused a moment, not knowing what to do or say, without taking his hands off the Englishman's shoulder. The brunette was now facing him and smiling, amused and somewhat embarrassed. "If you turn on the tap, the shower water gets cold!" 

Chris stood motionless, his lips parted and his fingers tightened around the brunette's biceps. He was trying to think of the words he had just heard, to the damage he had done, but, strangely...he couldn't.  
He was in a shower, naked... with Tom Hiddleston.  
He should have been bewildered by the situation.  
He should have at least felt uncomfortable. But he wasn't. Not at all. 

Chris looked into Tom's bright, magnetic eyes, took in his wild hair, shiny from the water, noticing a few clumps falling over his forehead. He looked at Tom's face, the faint smile that was enough to brighten any room, shadowed on his lips; cheeks flushed with a few droplets of water here and there, falling from the black curls atop his head to slide down his neck and chest.  
He was intrigued by Tom. 

The smile on the brunette's face slowly vanished when he realized that his colleague was looking at him. When he realized  _ how _  his colleague was looking at him. Slowly, Tom felt Chris's fingers running along his arm, tracing its outline as if they were touching something very fragile, then they reached Tom's back, gradually sliding down until they stopped at his tailbone. A shudder passed through Tom's body, making him tremble slightly. Their breathing was speeding up with surprising quickness and Tom felt the beat of his own heart hammering in his chest. The gaze of the blond kept darting from his eyes to his mouth while his face was dangerously close to reaching the brunette's. But those blue eyes fixed on him, strangely didn't make Tom feel bothered, annoyed, or uncomfortable. They made him feel totally powerless, out of control, helpless, just like a few moments before, near the door of the room. 

No, he wouldn't let him do it again.  
He couldn't.  
It was not fair.  
It was not... 

With  a sharp movement, Tom brought his face forward, closing the space left between their lips, causing Chris to lose his breath. The blonde stepped back to keep his balance, stopping only when the the steam of hot water was pouring over their heads. Whatever could be wrong or unusual in what was happening did not seem to have the slightest importance. At that time, smelling the sweet scent of his companion, the blond realized that the idea of going beyond that simple contact excited him enough to make him feel like a teenager during his first kiss, but instantly he knew he could not, did not want to ask or expect anything more. Chris tightened his grip on the shoulder of the brunette exhaling deeply, feeling every thought, every doubt, slip out of his mind, carried by the water that was running down his back. Only then, he realized that if they didn't go beyond that kiss it wouldn't have mattered. 

He would have stopped.  
For Tom he would have done it.  
Because Chris cherished Tom and wanted him more than anything else. 

The Englishman lifted his hands, grabbing and holding the Australian's bicepts. He parted their lips just a few millimeters, keeping them touching, and stopped to feel the streams of warm water creeping between their mouths.  
Sometimes our heart makes decisions that even the rest of our body is unable to understand and oppose, and it was exactly what happened to Tom in that very moment, when, along with the rhythm of his heartbeat that rang in his chest, he felt an irrational desire burning within him. Then, a sudden and violent blow, followed by what seemed like gasps of a  wounded animal, forced the two men to separate their faces and instinctively turn their head down, toward the lower floor which was probably probably where the sound had come from. 

"Seems like people get hurt very easily in this hotel..." the blonde exclaimed after a few moments, returning his gaze to his partner who kept his eyes fixed on the ground for a while. 

"Yeah..." Tom finally said with a sigh, lifting his head and sliding his hands slowly along Chris's chest to bring his own fingers close to his own body. Silence filled the shower, broken only by the sound of water that was still pouring between them, as Tom’s hands reached just below Chris’s neck, palms resting against the taut skin. 

"...you have breasts." Tom's words came as an undeniable statement. He had never seen Chris's bare physique from so close and that was the only thing he felt absolutely obliged to affirm. The Australian's expression grew gradually surprised and incredulous, as he stepped back from Tom and moved his hands away from the other man's body.

"They are pecs." He answered hardly able to finish the sentence. 

"No, no, these are boobs! You could...you  _ can _ compete with Scarlett!" The brunette ended his statement bringing back his eyes on the face of his companion who, still slightly stunned, slowly stretched his lips into a wide and ironical closed-mouth smile, becoming in Tom's eyes, incredibly funny. They smiled at each other for a few seconds, just the time to realize that neither of them was different from how they were when the had met years before, or how they had always seen each other, despite what had just happened. And if they had not changed it meant that what they were feeling right now, the one for the other, was something they had probably always felt. 

Chris allowed his his arms to fall at his hips and, taking a small step, he leaned once again toward Tom's face but with a shriek, his foot slipped on the floor of the tub, causing him to lose his balance. 

"NO!" In less than a second, the blonde found himself with his face squashed against Tom's abdomen. The Englishman, in order to avoid crashing to the ground, grabbed the partition with one hand and with the other hand he leaned against the wall. The Australian, feeling lack of  full support, had the instinctive impulse to cling with his arms around the waist of his colleague who, with a groan, stiffened his body, trying  desperately not to fall. 

"Brilliant  idea!" Tom said, his voice stifled by fatigue and pain visible in his face. 

"Sfhorhry..." Chris's voice, completely distorted by the absurd position of his mouth, distracted the brunette, who chuckled tensely. With a pained breath, Tom slowly let his hands move down, letting both his body and Chris' slide to the ground. The Australian lifted his torso immediately, getting on is knees in front of the Englishman who was sitting with his back leaned against the wall and his arms lying on the edges of the tank. His face was marked by an amused and puzzled expression. After a few moments the brunette raised his shoulders slightly, not knowing what to say and tried to suppress the smile that was growing on his lips. 

"We have a huge double bed in the other room and we have to stay here in a one meter per one shower?" Tom spoke quietly, as if his question was the most obvious and legitimate thing that someone could ask, while his eyes were fixed on his companion. 

Chris stopped abruptly.

He expected everything but those words which came out of the Englishman's mouth, and furthermore, coming out with such naturalness leaving Chris stunned. With no reserve, the blonde let a soft smile ripple his lips. "... you're right ..." He said almost in a whisper, his gaze always fixed on the eyes, still faintly frightened and worried, of the brunette. The man smiled back gently but, after a few moments, the expression changed completely, becoming very uncomfortable. Not because of the situation and not even for what he had just said. He slipped a hand next to his leg, just above the knee and, with a sharp jerk, he pulled out from under his thigh a metal string at which the black plug of the bathtub was attached. But the rip was strong enough to break the chain and Tom found himself holding the metal object between his fingers. The two men stared at the piece of plastic for a few seconds then, almost in slow motion, they looked at each other with the same alarmed faces of two children who had just broken something that didn’t belong to them. Chris swallowed, lifting his eyebrows, while Tom breathed deeply. "... oops ..."

  
  



	6. ...for choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! We are finally back with a new chapter. We are sorry if it took us so much time to upload this, but we were all over Rome Avengers premiere... And after that we had been very busy... Enjoy!

_ **...for choice.** _

_ Loving someone is a brave choice, especially if it's not a possible love.  
But if that love is strong, our hearts still choose to love, even if we are afraid.  _

The room was in almost total darkness. The only source of light was the strong glow of the city that was coming in through the windows, creating dull pale beams of light that hit the white sheets laid on top of the mattress. The air had cooled down because of the balcony door, left slightly open, but the two men standing in front of the bed did not seem to give it any importance. Both of them had their hands on the other man's hips and their bodies, still wet, seemed to shine due to the drops of water left on their skin. 

The towel that Chris was wearing was far too small for his body; he could barely tie it around his waist and it only covered his legs down to mid thigh. Tom's towel, instead, was much larger. His body was covered down to his knees and it was knotted firmly around his slimmer waist. Motionless, they looked into each other's eyes trying to figure out how to behave in that situation, unknown to both of them. The Australian took heart and, with infinite tenderness, ran his finger along the edge of the towel of the brunette who immediately jumped, glancing away. The blond stopped straightaway, watching the throb of fear growing on his companion's face.

"Are you... are you scared...?" Chris asked, his voice soft. He was fully aware that he had just asked a stupid, silly question but he was hoping that maybe just that simple question would have helped the Englishman to confide in him.

"...yes..." Tom said, speaking almost without sound and bringing his eyes, restless and full of doubts, to his colleague's face.

"...Me too..." Chris answered at once, while on his face was painted a strained and tender look. The brunette felt his body relax hearing those few words.

They were feeling the same things.

They were both terrified by what was going to happen but they had no hesitation confiding it to each other. 

"What are we doing ...?" Tom's words seemed more like a prayer rather than a question in the ears of the Australian who replied without hesitation.

"Something that, perhaps, tomorrow we might regret..." It wasn’t a pleasurable response, but it was the truth. If the Englishman was uncertain or insecure, Chris wouldn't take advantage of him, he couldn't. Even if it meant he’d have to sacrifice....

"...yes... maybe..."

...his only  chance to be with Tom.

The blonde's face turned sympathetic and sweet.

It didn't matter. 

"Do you... want me to stop...?"

The brunette shuddered, becoming suddenly aware that he wasn't being forced to do anything. He realized the man before him would have given up and sacrificed, without hesitation, that feeling that he desired so ardently.  
And he would do it for him.  
No adultery or betrayal.  
Just a moment of madness in one night scented of wine and Italy.  
A moment, like a dream, trapped between fantasy and reality that does not allow us to remember it vividly.  
But it didn't end that way.

"...no." 

With one simple word, uttered with such intensity, Chris took a deep breath and a slight smile graced his lips when he saw a glimmer of certainty and determination in the eyes of his companion.  
They had chosen.  
And they had done it together.  
They wouldn't have stopped. 

The blond began to move his fingers on the edge of the towel that covered the Englishman until he reached the curve of Tom's wet back. With a shove so delicate and strong at the same time, Chris jerked the waist of the brunette against his own, bringing their lips less than a breath apart. As soon as their legs touched the small towel that covered the Australian unfastened and fell on the floor with a soft noise. They stood looking at each other, with that imperceptible distance between their faces, until the Englishman felt the other man’s hand skillfully loosing the edges of the white cloth that adorned his waist, causing it to fall to the ground. 

Tom closed his eyes slowly, letting out a sigh, feeling Chris’ fingers graze across his thigh. The blonde stood there, staring at the face of the brunette. Tom was pleasantly flushed and still marked by a few small drops of water that fell from his hair. With a fluid movement Chris joined his hands behind Tom's back, pressing their hips even harder against each other. After just a few moments, the brunette suddenly broke away from the Australian and, opening his eyes, turned away from him, going to sit down on the bed. The blond stood watching him while Tom slowly slid back, leaning on his elbows and reclining on the pillows with his head. They exchanged a glance and only then, Chris leaned down, resting one knee on the mattress and began to crawl slowly towards the brunette. 

"I feel like some sort of feline…" Chris said, laughing nervously and trying to move as elegantly as possible.

"You look more like Garfield..." The Englishman said after a few moments, destroying every doubt Chris had about the fact that, in those conditions, he seemed undeniably stupid.

It didn't matter.

He had managed to draw a smile from Tom's lips and that was more than enough to make him feel sexier than he had ever felt. 

With another couple of moves, the Australian brought his face above Tom's while the brunette gently dropped his head on the pillow. They were one on top the other and immediately they found comfort in hearing that both their breathing was getting simultaneously heavier and heavier. Tom's legs were motionless, slightly bent, each one at one side of Chris' body, whose hands were resting on the sides of the companion's chest.

"Meow ..." 

The blonde's whisper was so deep and hot that the English slide back, resting his shoulders against the mattress. With a fluid motion, Chris reached for his wallet and, opening it, he pulled out a small square plastic wrapper. For a moment, while he repositioned himself atop the brunette, he felt almost like a clumsy teenager. A smile spread on his lips at this thought but, as soon as he met the eyes of the man beneath him, he froze. On Tom's face, Chris could see a troubled and agitated expression. The Englishman had always considered himself a good actor but at that moment, in front of that man who was looking into his eyes like he had never done before, Tom couldn't hide how he really felt. 

"Try not to turn the pillows black from your hair dye, because it was me who paid the deposit on the room" 

The words of the Australian seemed like the serious but amusing reproach of a teacher and they were more than enough to temper the atmosphere, unleashing in Tom an uncontrollable urge to laugh. There was a moment, just a moment, while the two were exchanging embarrassed smiles, when in their thoughts, in their hearts, they felt something they weren't even able to understand. They didn't understand that the feeling embracing and changing them was something they had never felt for any other woman and that they would never feel ever again for another man. Slowly, Chris stretched out an arm towards the bottom of the bed, grabbed the light, white blanket and pulled it upward, covering their bodies and heads. 

"We shouldn't get cold.."


	7. ...for passion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For news on the updates, comments and requests you can follow our tumblr profile: devilscabaret.tumblr.com  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------

** **...for passion.** **

_ The  _ _ fact that love is blind, love is complex, love is headstrong and it can often take you to places you don't expect. -Tom Hiddleston- _

They had no idea how much time had passed. They had remained motionless, looking into each other's eyes while their breaths rhythmically blended into a musical set of sighs. It could have been a few seconds or several minutes when, finally, Chris slid his fingers over the mattress, moving them up to Tom's pelvis. The brunette, instinctively, contracted the muscles of his belly while slowly, the blond ran his hand along the Englishman's thigh, savoring every inch of his skin. 

Chris reached Tom's knees with both hands then lifted his right leg slightly, placing it against his hip. The brunette allowed himself to be led in every move, taking deep breaths. Slower than he had ever done with anyone else, the Australian approached his mate's body, never stopping the eye contact between them, not for a single moment. Suddenly, Tom felt a sharp pain that broke his breath and impulsively he grit his teeth and fists forcefully, clawing the mattress with his fingers. He shut his eyes and, turning his head with a snap, he pressed his temple roughly against the pillow. Chris stopped instantly, grabbing the face of the Englishman with a quick but gentle move of his hand.

"No..."

The brunette's body was tense and aching near the limits of endurance.

"...look at me.." Said the blond in a pained whisper, bringing Tom' face towards himself with a caress. "...stay with me..."

At those words, spoken in an ardent whisper, Tom seemed to relax and slowly his hands loosened the grip on the blanket, while his lips parted slightly and his eyes softly opened again. Chris immediately closed the space between their faces, clenching their mouths together. Both kept their eyes half open, as if to make sure that everything that was happening was not only an irrational and wonderful dream. 

Gradually, the Australian put his hand back on the mattress slightly tightening the grip on the brunette's leg, he brought his pelvis closer Tom's body. At that motion, the Englishman suddenly broke away from their kiss with a moan, gasping, and stilled with his forehead pressed against the blond's. They closed their eyes for a moment while the Australian let his chest lean gently on the Englishman's. They remained still for a few seconds, breathing slowly, heavily. Then, Chris looked up, feeling Tom's chest, damp and warm, rising and lowering to the rhythm of his rough breathing. Chris looked at him again, intensely, searching his face for a sign a sign, a hint of discomfort or contrariety. He could scarcely imagine what Tom had just felt, and was fearful of how much pain he might have caused him.

"I'm sor-..." He tried to speak with a hoarse whisper but the brunette, with a sinuous gesture, raised his hand sliding up Chris' body with his fingers from the ribs up to his face, rough because of his beard. Tom brushed his thumb over every inch of his mate's jaw, drawing the outline of his lips with his fingers.

"Ssh..." The Englishman whispered, shaking his head almost imperceptibly. He was facing, without the slightest bit of remorse, a pain that slowly slipped away from his body and with that gesture, he was trying to tell Chris that he should never have to feel guilty about it. They exchanged a long glance then the blond began to move slowly, gently following the rhythm of a music which, at that time, they alone could hear. Their breaths immediately merged into a single, deep breath that followed the rhythm of their bodies. Everything, every sensation was unusual, different, new. 

Tom placed both hands on Chris' shoulders, just at the base of his neck, feeling the contraction of the blonde's muscles under his palms. The Australian brought his gaze to Tom's lips which were slightly parted, surprised by how ardently he wished to kiss them. He followed the line of Tom's jaw with his mouth, reaching his throat and brushing it with his lips. The brunette cried out with desire while Chris kept caressing kept caressing his friends’ body with his lips. After a while, though, Tom's breathing became very heavy, almost gasping and his face grimaced with a pained expression that the man tried to hide in every way. The blonde paused, realizing that his large physique was heavy atop Tom’s slender body. With a fluid motion, Chris slipped an arm under the Englishman's back and, keeping his leg stuck to his own pelvis, he slid to one side, allowing the brunette to rise above him. 

The sheet fell from their bodies, staying caught between their legs. Tom found himself sitting on Chris, his knees on the mattress on both sides of the blonde's body, while his hands rested on his companion's chest. The blonde's blue eyes watched Tom with affection and passion, while his strong fingers were still pressed on the brunette's thighs. He did not say a word, and he had not asked for anything, however, Chris had understood the discomfort he felt and with infinite delicacy, he had helped him to feel at ease. Tom slowly turned his head and looked out the window seeing the bright lights of Rome, a few hours before so magnificent and full of life, that now seemed asleep in a blissful slumber. 

He felt a slight puff of cold air hitting his torso, air that smelled of soap mixed with a faint scent of salt emanating from the sweat of their bodies. The wind rustled a few clumps of dark curls that fell over his forehead, tickling. Tom raised his hand to move them behind his ear but suddenly felt another hand that slip through his hair. The brunette immediately sought his companion's eyes while Chris raised onto one elbow and smiled, gently pulling Tom's face down. The Australian lifted his upper body completely to a sitting position and wrapped his free arm around the Englishman’s waist, holding it tightly against him. Sweetly, he kissed his chin, feeling the man shivering and smiling. The Englishman put his hands behind the blond's head, warmly caressing his neck. Then, in a blink of an eye, their faces were close once again, with noses almost touching each other and gazes that tried to sneak into the other's heart.

"it's... strange..." Tom's voice was broken by his heavy breathing that continued incessantly.

"Yes... but it's not bad…" Chris spoke rapidly, taking a deep breath as he finished.

"no...no, not at all..." The words of the brunette died on his lips in a long breath as his fingers clung more strongly behind the neck of the Australian who in turn, tightened his grip around the Englishman's, letting his hand entwine with his dark hair. Moments later, it was Tom who was pushing his body slightly closer to Chris', joining their chests and starting to move his pelvis back and forth, feeling their breath bind again, increasingly heavy, increasingly faster. For a long moment their gazes seemed to be chained to one another and refused to separate. The soft movements of the Englishman went on until the blond felt a warmth in his groin grabbing more and more intensely and without realizing it, the man began to moan quietly while biting his lips and following the rhythm of the thrusts. After a moment of burning thrill, the rush took over and the Australian shut his eyes violently and pressed his mouth against Tom, forcing him to stop.  
A kiss.

Completely different from the first or any other kiss they had exchanged that night.

Completely different from any kiss they had ever given in their lives.

A single ardent, tormented, and passionate kiss.

The two broke away with unexpected delicacy and remained with their eyes closed, trying to still the beating of their hearts and their breathing, with little success.

"Why haven't we done this before...?" Chris asked amused, thinking of how being in the mess of movements, sensations, and smells made him feel alive. Tom smiled slightly feeling the unshaven beard of his mate tug at his chin, again like the first time.

"Because you're always in the gym pumping up your boobs..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the promotional drawing for this chapter: http://cabaretdeldiavolo.deviantart.com/art/Stay-With-Me-Chapter-7-311525199  
> You can find all the promo pics on tumblr, under the tag "stay with me" or on our deviantart profile in the specific folder.  
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	8. ...for love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow our tumblr channel for news and questions! "devilscabaret.tumblr.com"

**... for love. **

_ "They say that to make him fall in love, I have to make him laugh. But every time he smiles, I am the one who falls in love" _

** According to Plato, the man was once like an apple... perfect. He had only himself and he was happy. There were no di ** ** stinctions between men and women; there were only these individuals that were perfect and happy. **

Their smiles, a little tense and restless, melted away slowly  while their eyes once again were tied to one another, blue on blue. Chris loosened the grip on the brunette's hair and ran his hand down Tom's right shoulder, holding it firmly. With agile movements, the men moved together, swapping positions and returning their bodies to position from which they had started.

** But one day Zeus, who was jealous of their perfection, broke them in half. Thus, each of us is a fraction of the original complete human being, and for each person there is another that is its complementary. **

Tom was lying with his back against the bed while the Australian delicately placed his body above him. Because of the low light in the room, they hadn’t noticed how perilously close to the edge of the bed they’d come. The Englishman dropped his head, sure to find the pillow, but unexpectedly he felt nothing but thin air and his head slipped backwards, falling off the edge of the mattress.

"OH!"

** So, from that day, man began to seek desperately for his other half, because without it he felt incomplete and unhappy ... **

"Shit!"

Chris raised his voice, throwing an arm over the bed and trying to catch the neck of the Englishman who was still stunned and a bit lost. The blonde  reached Tom's head, feeling his slightly curly hair between his fingers, but because of the unusual position, he was unable to lift it completely. At least, luckily, Chris managed to avoid the weirdest fall in history.

** But for how many attempts he made, he could never find his exact half. **

The blonde froze for a split second, a little startled from what had happened, until  an unmistakable, sweet, sincere laughter wrapped the whole room.

"We reached the end of the bed..." The Australian tried to explain, to justify the situation, a little displeased.

"I noticed it!"

Tom raised his head from the edge of the mattress and, finally, Chris could see his face.

** And he still cannot find it. **

A slight and gentle laughter marked the brunette's face too. Since they had kissed, the Englishman had no longer smiled. Or at least, Tom had always been embarrassed, a bit nervous  or worried, without ever showing that genuine and unique smile that the Australian had always found unparalleled. And finally, at that moment, for the first time during that night of madness and passion, everything seemed to take its place.  
Everything found a meaning.  
Everything became clear.

** Because it is almost impossible to find your other half and recognize it... **

And Chris saw, in the man lying in his arms, the Tom he knew. 

**...it takes a miracle... **

The Tom he had always foolishly seen as a mere friend.

The blonde kept looking at him as if he had been enchanted then he slowly lifted  the other man by his shoulders and gently rearranged him on the bed, leaning on his own elbows and positioning on top of him. While they were both still smiling, they closed the space between their faces, caressing their lips with evident desire and only then, Chris began to move, but this time with a different rhythm: more ardent, faster. He struggled to keep his eyes open and look at the brunette's face, feeling it increasingly difficult to breathe. He felt his body wrapped in several places by vicious hot flushes that kept getting stronger with every thrust, but he never left, not even for a second, Tom's eyes.

He wanted that man.

He wanted to be his.

In a way he had always been afraid to admit  that to himself.

Their breath ing increased in intensity and speed with each passing second, while hoarse moans of pleasure escaped their mouths. Tom had left a hand on Chris's neck and now, his fingers slowly clung furiously to his blond hair.

He wanted that man.

He wanted to be his.

In a way he never had the opportunity to admit  that to himself.

Suddenly, his body felt as if he’d lost all control of it, as a violent shiver slowly covered him whole . His mind lost any glimmer of rationality and all that remained was a single, individual word that made its way through the groans coming from his lips.

"C-chri..."

A twinge of painful pleasure hit him like a  lightning shock and it didn't let him finish speaking. With a jerk, the brunette clawed at the Australian’s biceps, arching his back, throwing his head back, and squeezing his eyes closed tight with a final, choked wail escaping his lips.

Chris had a last sharp spasm hearing Tom trying to  pronounce what was without doubt his name and letting a deep groan escape from his lips, he stilled, every muscle tense, watching Tom's face. He was overwhelmed by ecstasy, marked by a slight redness on his cheeks and shiny with sweat and the blonde found it very hard keeping back the urge to kiss him. 

After a few seconds, he  savagely seized the Englishman's leg with his fingers, pulling it fiercely against his body, dropped his head down with a shiver, and made an inhumane effort  
not to let a suffering and satisfied cry slip from his mouth. It took him quite a lot of time but in the end Tom slowly returned to lie his back on the bed, making noisy breaths and, dropping his arms on the mattress, he looked back at his companion.

The Australian, in turn, lifted his face almost in slow motion, bringing his bright eyes of ice  to those of the Englishman. It took only a glance of those penetrating eyes and the mind of the brunette immediately began to fill up with a succession of terrible thoughts. What had just happened would have unleashed an inevitable chain of consequences that, undoubtedly, would have upset their entire lives. He had no particular ties and his life had always been that of an ordinary actor in his early career until "Thor". Until this man entered his life.

He had known Chris for several years now.

He knew his family.

He knew his wife.

With a desperate gesture, he threw his arms around the blonde's neck, pressing on him until he felt his mouth, surrounded by his beard, breathing heavily near his ear.

...what have I done...

At that moment, he clearly felt a small, cruel, tormented spark of atrocious remorse light up in his heart. But, like a breath extinguishes a candle so a whisper was enough to extinguish that flame instantly.

"Tom."

Chris whispered his name.

Just his name.

The name of his colleague, his partner...

... of his lover.

He exhaled deeply, closing his eyes, and pulled the Australian against himself with more ardor, clinging to his muscular shoulders with all the strength he had left and pushing his face between Chris' bright wet hair. With a gentle motion the two lay down while the blonde gently rose up and moved alongside the Englishman, to a void hurting him by staying on him with all the weight of his body. 

Tom stayed with one arm under Chris' back and with the other between his blond locks, caressing them near the temple. Chris slipped his face gently in the brunette's hollow between neck and shoulder, exhaling deeply. Like  unnecessary music that slowly comes to an end, their breathing calmed down almost in unison.

At once, the Englishman heard a faint giggle coming from the Australian.

"What is it...?" He asked calmly, turning his face slightly to see his companion.

"...Purrr...I'm Garfield..." The man answered, still imitating with his voice the noises of a cat. The laughter kept rising slightly.

"What... Chris are you...purring?" A sked the brunette with a louder voice, unable to resist the urge to laugh too, plagued by the inexplicable joy of his companion, while his eyes slowly closed. Chris, still laughing and purring, closed his eyes too, burying his nose in Tom's curly black hair and smelling his cologne.

"...Purrr...yes..."

**...it truly takes a miracle... **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are sorry for the late update, but at the moment we are writing a movie script and organizing the Thor&Tony Drawing Contest. We will try to upload the next chapter soon :)
> 
> Thank you!  
> @DevilsCabaret


	9. ...forever

**...forever.**

_"I think most of the things that we feel are felt most intensely within silence." - Tom Hiddleston_

Tom opened his eyes, probably due to the thud that had come from the upper floor. As always after waking, it took him a while to connect his brain and form coherent thoughts. The morning light came through the window, splashing blinding light across his face and making his eyes shine. He blinked a few times before his sight began to focus on the only thing that was before him. He felt out of breath and his heart began to beat wildly in his chest.

Chris was still asleep, his face turned toward the brunette, his lips slightly parted and a hand resting under his cheek. He was resting quietly. He was resting quietly with his shoulders rising and lowering as he breathed causing the sheet that was covering him to move along with them.

The Englishman was suddenly overwhelmed by an unusual wave of  emotion that he could not fight in any way. But, before he could reorder the thoughts that were chaotically crowding his mind the blonde's eyes opened with a slow movement and immediately focused on him.

It took Chris several seconds and a number of different mental insults to recover and adjust to the dizziness and the headache he felt which was caused by the abuse of alcohol from the previous evening. In the end he realized where he was and most importantly, who he was with.

Looking at the blonde's face Tom felt strangely happy but at the same time his mind was filled with an unpleasant feeling of concern. Seeing things from another point of view, with more clarity, can allow us to realize the mistakes we’ve made and make us regret our actions, pushing ourselves to want to forget everything.

Perhaps, thought the Englishman, that was the case.

Perhaps they would have hated each other after that night, blaming each other for what had happened.

Perhaps the man who had loved him so passionately and that had slept so sweetly with him a few hours before would have hated him.

Immediately, Chris could notice Tom's pale and soft face flushed in embarrassment, discomfort and tension that he had never seen, not even during the night before. He saw a shadow of fear in his bright eyes, an unusual fear expressible only with the question that he was sure both of them were thinking at that moment.

What could have happened now? 

He had no answer.

He had no idea.

He only knew that it would be impossible to forget what had happened, much less ignore what he had felt.

But he didn't know how to make sure Tom understood this.

No words could be quite explanatory.

No gesture quite significant.

No.

Well, maybe just one...

The Englishman swallowed hard one last time, realizing that the blonde had figured out what he was feeling watching his face marked by a gloomy apprehension. Then, slowly, he saw Chris' face changing expression and gradually becoming calm, gentle and affectionate.

...just one...

Chris' mouth opened in laughter... A bright, tender, indescribably beautiful laughter, that left Tom completely stunned and helpless.

Every trace of fear instantly vanished from his mind, and Tom, in a moment, found himself unconsciously return that smile feeling protected, overwhelmed, shaken by a feeling that for the first time in his life he realized he was feeling so hard for someone who reciprocated it.

“ _But then he smiles and it's all okay...” - Tom Hiddleston_

_**PART ONE - THE END** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all we would like to thank all of you who have followed this fanfiction with such passion. Thanks to all of you, from our hearts. This fic will have a sequel which will be available as soon as possible. This sequel is composed of two parts: the first will be the "Making of" also known as the "behind the scenes". We do not want to reveal anything about this part of the fic but we hope will be interesting and fun. All we can say is that we you will read the highlights of the events that have just happened from... “another point of view”. After this Making of there will be the actual second and final part of the fic in which the relationship between Chris and Tom will take a more difficult path. How will this story end? Read on and find out! ;)  
> \- devilscabaret.tumblr.com


	10. ...Making of...

**...Making of...**

_What do we life for, if not to make life less difficult for each other?_

 

"Come on! Drink it all!" Robert's voice filled the room while a bewildered Chris Hemsworth watched his third cocktail with a worried look.

"I do not think ..."

"Come on! What harm can it do?"

The Australian shrugged resignedly and drank his glass almost in one breath, under the surprised eyes of his colleague.

"Ah!"

With a thud, he slammed the empty glass on the counter widening then narrowing his eyes several times.

"Good job, Blondie!" Downey stated, patting him on the shoulder and smiling cheerfully.

"I need to sit down..." Said the Australian, still staring at the bottom of his glass.

"You’re already sitting, Chris..." the brunette answered, still laughing and grabbing his cocktail. The blond looked down at his body almost in a daze, realizing that it he was slumped on a high stool next to the counter.

"It's still too high..." He concluded, feeling dizzy. It felt as if he had taken a strong punch in the face. Slowly he got up and walked away from the bar, headed to another place in the room. Away from the alcohol. Away from Robert, who in the meantime was carelessly looking at the figure of a man, a friend, that was climbing on a table...

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to know what happened to the other members of the Avengers Cast and how they have contributed to help the story of Chris and Tom? "Stay with me - Making of" will be coming out soon!


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